1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to salts of 3,5-dibromosalicyclic acid and more particularly to metal salts of 3,5-dibromosalicylic acids which have excellent fungicidal and bactericidal activity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The compound, 3,5-dibromosalicylic acid, is known in the art per se and has been described as having bactericidal action as may be seen, for example in the Bull. des Sciences Pharmacologiques, 34, 486-7(1927), Chem. Abs., 22, 443, (1928), for use in a disinfectant cleaning composition as shown in Netherlands Application No. 6,414,686 as well as a growth regulant in Botannical Gazette 113, 135-147 (1951). In addition Beilstein, 10, p. 109 describes the barium and lead salts of 3,5 dibromosalicylic acid and Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci. 5A, 321-5(1937), abstracted Chem. Abs., 31, 6215, describe the Na, K and Ca salts of 3,5-dibromosalicylic acid.
However, it has not been known heretofore that salts of 3,5-dibromosalicylic acid possess biocidal activity can be particularly useful as fungicides and bactericides. It was surprisingly discovered that the metal salts of 3,5-dibromosalicylic acid have substantially higher biocidal action, e.g. as fungicides, than the corresponding free acids and also exhibit greater mildew growth retardation than the free acids.